Coronavirus in Texas

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Health officials reporting coronavirus cases, deaths again after winter storm delays

by Texas Tribune Staff Updated: Feb. 28, 2021

Many counties have begun reporting coronavirus numbers again after the winter storm disrupted data reporting last week and fewer Texans were tested. Full Story 

Latest coverage

• Texas expects to receive more than 200,000 initial doses of newly approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine

  by Reese Oxner Feb. 27, 2021

  The Food and Drug Administration on Saturday approved the vaccine, the first that requires one dose instead of two. Full Story 

• In first visit, President Joe Biden commits to being "true partners" with Texas through storm recovery, vaccination effort

  by Patrick Svitek Feb. 26, 2021

  Biden was joined by Gov. Greg Abbott and U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, among other officials. Full Story 

• Texas judge rules federal eviction moratorium unconstitutional. Lawyers and advocates disagree on what that means for tenants.

  by Cassandra Pollock and Anna Canizales Feb. 26, 2021

  The judge opted against issuing an injunction that would block the federal ban on evictions, instead signaling that he expected the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to withdraw its moratorium. Full Story 

• UT-Austin won't require SAT or ACT scores for 2022 applications due to COVID-19

  by Kate McGee Updated: Feb. 25, 2021

  Universities across the country have started to extend "test-optional" policies for undergraduate applicants as the pandemic wears on. Full Story 

• Texas National Guard deployed to get COVID-19 vaccines to older Texans who are homebound

  by Karen Brooks Harper Feb. 25, 2021

  Gov. Greg Abbott said he wants the majority of Texans who are 65 and older to be inoculated against COVID-19 by the end of March. He said the state could announce more eligibility for the vaccines next month. Full Story 

• Gov. Greg Abbott weighing end to mask order, other statewide coronavirus rules, says announcement coming “pretty soon”

  by Patrick Svitek Feb. 25, 2021

  Abbott has kept Texas under a mask mandate since July. Full Story 

• Texas’ COVID-19 vaccinations begin to rebound after plunging during last week’s winter storm

  by Karen Brooks Harper Updated: Feb. 23, 2021

  Texas expects to see about 1.5 million doses arrive this week, including last week’s undelivered doses, and the opening of three new federally supported vaccination hubs. Full Story 

• Coronavirus vaccine deliveries to Texas pick up after winter storm

  by Perla Trevizo, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica Feb. 20, 2021

  Texas will get nearly 600,000 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for next week, allowing the state to distribute the vaccine to the largest number of counties so far. The deliveries will help catch up storm-delayed first and second shots for eligible Texans. Full Story 

• Hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 vaccine deliveries, injections delayed by winter storm

  by Karen Brooks Harper Updated: Feb. 16, 2021

  Vaccine events and appointments across Texas were shut down when snow and ice made travel too dangerous, brought power outages and delayed vaccine deliveries. Full Story 

• Texas launches multimillion dollar campaign to combat vaccine hesitancy

  by Karen Brooks Harper and Marissa Martinez Feb. 12, 2021

  Local governments and advocacy groups are targeting skeptical communities early, but the state is holding back a large media blitz until more vaccine arrives. Full Story 

• Gov. Greg Abbott plans to relax business restrictions soon if COVID-19 numbers continue to drop from record highs

  by Megan Menchaca Updated: Feb. 11, 2021

  While COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are trending downward, the numbers are higher than when Abbott initially announced restrictions on businesses. Full Story 

• Three FEMA-run vaccination sites aimed at underserved Texans to open later this month, Abbott says

  by Karen Brooks Harper Feb. 10, 2021

  Combined, the three sites are expected to administer more than 10,000 shots per day, with doses supplied by FEMA. Full Story 

• Half of Texas' nurses experience workplace violence. A Texas lawmaker says it’s time to protect them.

  by Shannon Najmabadi and Neelam Bohra Feb. 9, 2021

  Now praised as heroes of the pandemic, nurses and other front-line medical workers have been routinely scratched, bitten or verbally abused by patients. Well over half of Texas' nurses reported being subject to workplace violence in their career, according to a 2016 state study. Full Story 

• Older and disabled Texans are demanding their home caregivers be vaccinated for COVID-19. But many workers don’t want it.

  by Karen Brooks Harper Feb. 8, 2021

  Home health workers, most of whom are women of color, could start losing their jobs if they aren't vaccinated against COVID-19. Experts widely agree that the vaccine is safe — Pfizer and Moderna both reported their vaccines are more than 90% effective at protecting people from serious illness — but some still refuse to get a shot. Full Story 

• Up for the task: Younger Texans are helping older family members get COVID-19 vaccine

  by Alana Rocha, Jackson Barton, Todd Wiseman and Justin Dehn Feb. 6, 2021

  Jackie Tidwell, a sixth-generation Texan living in Seattle, made it her mission to get her 90-year-old grandfather in Corpus Christi vaccinated for COVID-19 and hopes others “have persistent grandkids like me.” Listen, in the weekend edition of The Brief podcast. Full Story 

• Texas’ COVID-19 cases are down from record highs, though health experts warn the pandemic is far from over

  by Marissa Martinez Feb. 5, 2021

  While vaccinations are reaching more people every day, health care experts warn that this doesn’t mean Texas is out of the woods. Full Story 

• COVID-19 testing has become a “cash cow” for freestanding ERs in Texas, experts say. And it’s getting out of control.

  by Ashley Lopez, KUT News Updated: Feb. 8, 2021

  Freestanding emergency rooms in Texas have been charging patients’ health insurance plans thousands of dollars for a single coronavirus test. Full Story 

• Texas cities face difficulties counting their unsheltered homeless population — at a time when their numbers matter most

  by Megan Menchaca Feb. 4, 2021

  Despite changes to the regular count of people experiencing homelessness, support organizations are hoping they’ll still be able to capture a clear picture of who is unhoused in Texas as the pandemic continues. Full Story 

• Nearly a year into the pandemic, grocery workers in Texas are more fatigued than ever as they await vaccine access

  by Duncan Agnew Feb. 4, 2021

  After the Department of State Health Services neglected to include front-line essential workers in the latest phase of the vaccine rollout, grocery store workers juggle stressful work while waiting for the vaccine. Full Story 

• Laredo was one of the nation's worst COVID-19 hot spots for weeks. Its leaders see no easy way out.

  by Marissa Martinez Feb. 3, 2021

  At one point in January, almost half of the city’s hospital patients were admitted because of COVID-19 — the highest percentage in the state. That's caused intense debate about what the city can, and should, do next. Full Story